Devon County Council defends roads record after amber rating in Government pothole report

Devon County Council has defended its approach to road maintenance after receiving an overall “amber” rating, including a red rating for spending, under a new Government performance system published for the first time on National Pothole Day, Thursday 15 January.

The assessment has prompted criticism from Exeter MP Steve Race, who has called on the county council to take “immediate action” to improve road conditions across Devon, including within the city of Exeter.

The new traffic-light ratings are designed to show how effectively local highway authorities are maintaining roads and using public funding. 

An amber rating indicates mixed performance, while red – the lowest possible score – highlights significant concerns. According to the data, Devon County Council received a red rating specifically for its spending score, despite receiving additional highways funding in the past year.

Responding to the rating, Councillor Dan Thomas, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said the assessment must be viewed in the context of long-term funding pressures.

“Every pound of funding Devon receives from the Department for Transport is invested directly into maintaining our highways,” he said. 

“However, Devon has been historically underfunded for many years, and that leaves us facing huge challenges. We simply do not receive enough money from the government to properly look after a road network of this size and condition.”

Cllr Thomas said the council faces a highways repair backlog of around £390 million, estimating that £102 million a year would be needed just to keep Devon’s roads in their current condition.

“In reality, we receive nowhere near that level of funding from the government for the full highways service, let alone for road maintenance,” he said. 

“Against that backdrop, receiving an overall amber rating – a rating shared by over 80 per cent of highway authorities nationally – is a fair reflection of the funding pressures we are operating under.”

He added that while the council’s ambition is to achieve a green rating, this would only be possible with a higher level of sustained funding. 

“That will only be possible if Devon is allocated the level of funding needed to properly maintain its roads,” he said.

Steve Race MP said the results reflected concerns he regularly hears from residents in Exeter and confirmed he has written to the leader of Devon County Council urging the authority to make full use of available funding to tackle potholes and road safety issues.

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“Residents in Exeter know that our roads need work, and this ‘amber’ rating confirms that Devon County Council could be doing more to get our roads fixed,” he said. 

Mr Race added that complaints are frequently raised by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in the city, including concerns about vehicle damage and personal safety.

He pointed to Howell Road, a key route near the fire station at Danes Castle, as an example of where potholes have caused particular concern. 

According to figures cited by the MP, Devon County Council received an additional £22.5 million for road maintenance and pothole repairs over the last year. He said he wanted to ensure Exeter received a fair share of that funding.

The ratings follow the Government’s announcement of a £7.3 billion multi-year national funding settlement for local road maintenance, intended to move councils away from short-term repairs and towards preventative, long-term maintenance. 

Across the Devon and Torbay Combined Authority area, total investment is expected to exceed £433 million.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the new system marked a shift in how councils are supported and held accountable.

“For too long drivers have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate,” she said. 

“We’ve increased funding for local highway authorities and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for.”

“Now it’s over to them to spend the money wisely, and for the first time the public can see how well councils are delivering the improvements they want.”

The Government has pledged to fix an additional one million potholes a year by the end of the current Parliament, with the new ratings intended to highlight where further improvement is needed.